


your hand in mine

by kathoo



Series: fictober 2018 [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Love Confessions, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, hand holding, i love them sm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 16:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16178504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathoo/pseuds/kathoo
Summary: After Shiho moves back to Tokyo for good, she decides the first thing to do is to catch up with Ann. She doesn't realize how many feelings they've both buried under the surface until Ann brings her to Inokashira Park.





	your hand in mine

**Author's Note:**

> for the fictober day one prompt "can you feel this?"
> 
> i may be two days late for the prompt but it's never too late to post a shihoann

“This is beautiful,” Shiho says. Inokashira Park _is_ a truly beautiful place—trees loom over Shiho, casting down leaf-shaped shadows to block out harsh sunlight.

They’re standing by a pond—“they” referring to her and Ann—that isn’t too large in size, but feels looks gorgeous. Stray raindrops fall off of trees and drip into the pond, a light _drip_ sound ringing out each time. It rained not long before they arrived. Small puddles form in the spaces between the cement bricks they stood on, so Shiho has to be careful so as to not step in them. She’s wearing her new shoes today. Ann, however, is as carefree as ever. She jumps into each puddle they pass by without a second thought, saying that she’s wearing clothes she’s planning to throw out anyway, so it’s okay. Shiho smiles.

“I know, right?” Ann agrees. She smiles at Shiho. Shiho’s heart doesn’t soar or flutter every time Ann smiles at her, anymore, because she’s used to this. She’s used to Ann’s beauty, and she’s used to loving it. She’s used to loving Ann. “This place is really something else. I’ve been meaning to take you back here since forever, but it always slipped my mind whenever you’d visit. You were gone before I could remember.”

Ann takes a step closer towards Shiho, and suddenly the plants around them are all one green blur. She can only focus on Ann. “You know,” Ann continues, “when I heard that you were coming back to stay I was so happy that I screamed. Like, really loud. I’m surprised none of my neighbors filed noise complaints. I was just… so… filled with emotions."

Shiho gazes into eyes crystal blue eyes. It reminds her of the pond they’re standing by. The pond is almost as gorgeous as Ann herself. “You changed while I was away,” Shiho states, voice soft and simple. Realizing what she just said, Shiho adds, “In a good way, I mean. You changed in a good way.”

Ann nods. “I was hoping you’d say that. I wanted to become stronger. For you. I wanted to become strong so that you could be proud of me and you’d want to do your best to become stronger, too. I did everything for you. Even on days when you were too busy to text me back, I was always thinking of you. I still am.”

“You sound like a lovestruck teenager,” Shiho jokes, and she knows that it’s stupid to say since they _are_ teenagers, but Shiho’s not wrong. Everything Ann is saying sounds like something out of a teen romance movie.

“Who’s to say I’m not?” Ann asks, winking at her. Shiho’s heart practically jumps out of her body. There are a million ways to interpret that. Is Ann trying to get at something? Ann’s always been a bit of a blunt person—just like Shiho. There isn’t any way that Ann could ever be interested in someone like her, though. Ann’s seen her at her worst. She knows how weak Shiho is. How could someone love someone like that?

“You shouldn’t say things like that to people,” Shiho warns quietly. “They might get the wrong idea.”

Ann huffs. “I’m not an idiot, Shiho. I know what it sounds like. Maybe that’s why I said it.”

Shiho breathes, closing her eyes. She can feel the moisture in the air, she can feel the wind brushing against her skin for a fleeting moment, and she can feel Ann’s heavy gaze on her. Her therapist once told her that when her mind becomes too crowded to think properly, focusing on what she can feel will help. Her therapist wasn’t wrong.

“I’m lucky to be here,” Shiho speaks. “I thought I’d never be able to enjoy things like these again, in all honesty.”

Ann shifts in her spot—Shiho can feel it. “I really love it when you share these things with me, but… are you trying to dodge this?”

“This?” Shiho echoes, opening her eyes once move. Ann is frowning, and Shiho feels guilty, even though she doesn’t know what went wrong.

“Us,” Ann attempts to elaborates, and quite honestly, fails. “I mean… us. Being here. Together. Shiho, look at where we are. Doesn’t it feel romantic?”

“Ann.”

Ann makes a sound resembling a sigh that morphs into small laughter. Shiho watches with interest. “Shiho,” Ann addresses her, “I love you.”

Shiho keeps her gaze steady. “I don’t think you mean that. You just missed me, and now that I’m back you feel a lot of things at once. I think you’re just… confused.”

“I hate it when people tell me how I feel,” Ann says, although she doesn’t sound angry—she sounds broken, and maybe a bit afraid. “I know how I feel more than anyone else does. More than you do. Maybe I didn’t before, but now I _know_ myself. It’s like you’ve said—I’ve changed for the better. And I know what I want.”

“I didn’t mean to imply that I know you better than you do,” Shiho apologizes. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It’s just… are you saying that you don’t feel the same way? If that’s it, just say it. I won’t be mad. The only thing that makes me mad is when people try to find excuses,” Ann informs her, gaze filled with a fire that Shiho had never truly noticed before. Determination and stubbornness are two traits that Ann has no shortage of, and Shiho now realizes just how brightly they burn within her.

“Of course I love you. I’ve always loved you. I love everything about you,” Shiho answers.

“Even my art skills?”

“Everything but that.”

Ann laughs, warm and bright.

“I feel very strongly for you,” Shiho says, “but—”

“Oh, brother.”

“Come on, Ann. You’ve seen how pathetic I am. You’re strong, but I’m just… weak. I haven’t gotten much better. Once… there was this boy who tried to kiss me. He was nice. He didn’t mean anything harmful by it. He just read the situation wrong. But when he leaned in, all I could see was _him_. I pushed the boy away. I haven't seen him since. I think I made him feel really bad. I guess I don't regret it, though. It would've just been awkward to try to be friends again.”

Kamoshida. Even now, when all his crimes have come to life, it’s not enough. It’ll never be enough. Maybe that’s selfish.

Ann’s face twists into an expression of disgust. “Don’t even think about Kamoshida, Shiho. He doesn’t deserve to be on your mind. He doesn’t deserve to have hurt you this much. I just… god, even after all this time I just want to kick him into the ground and make him _pay_ for what he’s done! Being arrested isn’t enough! I don’t care if he feels bad about it, and I don’t care if no one _cares_ anymore—he’s… he’s just…”

Ann’s probably the only person in the world who hates Kamoshida more than Shiho does.

“You’re not pathetic,” Ann speaks up again. “You’re so, so strong. You got back up. I could’ve never done that. I wouldn’t have even tried to become a better person if it wasn’t for you. I told you—it was you I did it for. I _love_ you. What else is there? If I love you and you love me, then what’s missing?”

Shiho says nothing.

Ann takes a step closer, and Shiho can feel Ann’s body dangerously close to her. Ann takes Shiho’s hand in hers and intertwines their fingers with ease. “Can you feel this?” Ann whispers.

“I can feel you,” Shiho murmurs.

Ann laughs. “Well, yeah. I’m right here. I mean… agh, never mind. This is going to sound too cheesy.”

“Say it.”

“I said never mind.”

“Say it for me?”

Ann groans. “Just… I was going to ask if you could feel… I don’t know, our love or something!”

Shiho laughs, taking a step backwards. She covers her mouth with her hand to stifle her laugh, but when it barely works she takes her hand off and just laughs openly. “You’re right. That’s embarrassing.”

“Whatever!” Ann hisses, face red. “Ugh… so? Are we, like, a thing or not?”

“Classy.”

“Answer! My heart is pounding right now!”

“I’ll be your girlfriend,” Shiho promises, a grin taking over her face, “but on one condition.”

Ann raises a suspicious eyebrow. “And that is?”

“You have to take me out on a date right now. I’m hungry.”

Ann snorts, taking a step back into a puddle. Ann doesn’t seem to care. “Luckily for you, I brought some extra cash today. I’ll take you anywhere you want! As long as it’s not too expensive. I don’t have _that_ much money. Hey… do you think I’ll be able to cook for you one day?”

“I doubt it.”

“Shiho!”

Shiho chuckles. “Kidding. I think that if you put your mind to it, you could do pretty much anything, Ann.”

Ann smiles. “Yeah. Especially now that I have you by my side. I have a girlfriend. Wait… I have a girlfriend!” Ann does a fist pump into the air. At the top of her lungs she screeches, “I have a girlfriend!”

A bystander passing by stops for a moment and claps for them. “Congratulations,” they say.

“Thank you!” Ann calls back, waving with a huge smile on her face.

Shiho flushes. “Ann!”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“I… let’s just go get the food before you scream out details of your personal life to any other complete strangers,” Shiho mumbles, shaking her head. “Ah… I really love you.”

“Right back at you,” Ann responds. “I need to tell Ryuji about this. And Akira, too. And Makoto, Futaba, Haru, Yusuke, Morgana—”

“You need to tell Kurusu-kun's cat?” Shiho asks, confused.

“Oh, well, um… I mean… hey, it’s getting kind of late. We should go get the food,” Ann suggests. She’s bad at acting.

Shiho pays no mind. “Shibuya Diner is good,” she mentions. “And it’s cheap from what I remember.”

Ann grabs Shiho’s hand. “Off we go, then!” Ann drags her ahead.

“We’re going the wrong way,” Shiho informs her.

Ann turns around and starts dragging her the opposite way. “This way, then!”

Ann is gorgeous in a million different ways that Shiho will never be able to name. Shiho knows now that it doesn’t matter if she believes that she’s worthy of Ann—Ann loves her, and as long as Ann still feels that way Shiho will always be by her side. Ann is her everything.

And she can tell by the way that Ann glances at her every five seconds or so that Ann feels the same.  


**Author's Note:**

> i would die for them.
> 
> (all comments and kudos are very much appreciated!)


End file.
